Foundation Crack Repair, Basement Waterproofing Blog

What to do about a Leaky Basement Window - Boston, MA

As a homeowner, if you head into your basement during a thunderstorm and notice water coming into your home from a leaking basement window, what is the first thing you should do?

First we have to identify where the water is coming from. If it is a finished basement window, we have to open that wall up a little bit. There are a few places where the water can be leaking from.
The water can be leaking in from between the window and the frame. The water can be leaking in from where the windowsill, the bottom of the window, and the cement wall where it is resting. It could also be leaking from a crack that runs up and down in the concrete, block or stone material.

We need to identify where the leak is coming from. Often, there is so much water it is hard to figure out exactly where it is coming from. We need to let the wall dry out, then head outside with a garden hose to spray water in the vicinity of the window to see where the water is actually coming in.

Too often, homeowners will go out and get a can of Flex Seal and try to fix the leak themselves. But, the window will leak again.

We often get calls from homeowners who have used Flex Seal, how can paint stop water? Other times, contractors will use hydraulic cement to stop a water leak. But, hydraulic cement is not flexible. So as the foundation expands and contracts with temperature change, the problem comes back again.

The solution to the problem is if the wood window is rotted, it needs to be replaced. If you have a window well and the dirt has accumulated to right against or just below the window, dig it out so the water can percolate some and then retreat into the soil.

If there is a crack around or from the window going down, it needs to be repaired with a permanent solution which would be with a closed-cell polymer material that is injected in, or a weave carbon fiber blanket process that comes with a warranty.

Service Area - From Boston, MA to Providence, RI to Hartford, CT & all surrounding areas

A-1 Foundation Crack Repair is proud to provide unparalleled commercial and residential foundation crack and basement water leak repair services throughout the following areas including major cities such as Boston, Worcester, Concord, Providence, Hartford, and New Haven.